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Michael Lawler resigns from Fair Work Commission

A day after a body was found in disgraced union official Kathy Jackson's home, her partner Michael Lawler resigns as Fair Work Vice President. Vision courtesy ABC News 24.

Mr Lawler resigned from his $435,000-a-year job last week, a day before he was due to respond to an investigation into the 215 sick days he allegedly took to help his partner, disgraced union boss Kathy Jackson.

The investigation by retired judge Peter Heerey was commissioned by Employment Minister Michaelia Cash last year after Mr Lawler allegedly took the time off to help Ms Jackson defend a lawsuit over theft from the Health Services Union.

But Fairfax Media understands Ms Cash has decided to keep the report secret.

It's understood she believes that because the report was commissioned to help Parliament decide whether to expel him – and his resignation means that's no longer an issue – there is no compelling reason to make it public.

"They commissioned an inquiry conducted by an eminent former Federal Court judge to examine the conduct of a high office holder. It is in the public interest that the government release the findings of the report."

Mr Lawler has made no public comments since resigning – reportedly on health grounds – on Thursday. His resignation came a day after the couple's 45-year-old friend, Sean Fisher, was found dead in their NSW home.

Police are not treating the death as suspicious.

It's understood Mr Lawler can now apply for a taxpayer-funded pension, which could be a decision for Finance Minister Mathias Cormann.

But due to privacy concerns, the government cannot provide information on individual superannuation benefits or the individual circumstances of members of the Judges' Pensions Scheme.

Mr Lawler was first appointed to the predecessor of the Fair Work Commission, the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, by then-workplace minister Tony Abbott in 2002.